Operating unit comprising at least one operating element for an air conditioning installation and/or an automatic air conditioning system

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an operating unit comprising at least one operating element, especially for adjusting the quantity of air, the temperature or the air distribution of an automatic air conditioning system, an automatic function and a manual adjustment function being provided. According to the invention, when changing from the automatic function to the manual adjustment function, the adjusted valued of the adjustment function is associated with the value of the automatic function which is selected during the changeover, or the next value in the direction of the new target value, or the closed value to the display value, or a value which can be pre-programmed in a fixed manner.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of German application 101 16 265.0,filed Mar. 31, 2001, which was filed as International Application No.PCT/EP02/01826, on Feb. 21, 2002, the disclosure of which is expresslyincorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an operator control unit having at least oneoperator control element for an air-conditioning system and/or automaticair-conditioning system, in particular for setting the air quantity orthe temperature or the air distribution of an automatic air-conditioningsystem according to the features described herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A generic operator control unit having at least one operator controlelement is described, for example, in EP 0 814 965 B1. An operatorcontrol device is disclosed which has an automatic and a manual settingoperating mode, in each case a manually adjustable analog setpoint-valuesetting device, which permits simple manual setting maneuvers, beingprovided as setpoint-value setting means for “air distribution” and/orthe “air quantity” and/or the “air temperature”. In each case a manuallyadjustable analog setpoint-value setting device, which permits simplemanual setting maneuvers, is provided as well as display means for “airdistribution” and/or “air quantity” and/or “air temperature”. In eachcase an analog display device is assigned as display means for “airdistribution” and/or the “air quantity” and/or the “air temperature” ineach analog setpoint-value setting device, which display device isgreatly adjusted, as a setpoint-value display device, in analog fashionin the manual setting mode by means of an independent extraneous driveso as to correspond to the setpoint value which is set, ensuringunambiguous and quick reading of the value which is set. Upon changeoverinto the automatic setting mode by activating an automatic key, theindependent extraneous drive automatically adjusts the display device,as an actual-value display device, directly in analog fashion so as tocorrespond to the respective actual value for “air distribution” and/or“air quantity”, as a result of which the display means which ispreviously used as a setpoint-value display during manual adjustment canalso be used as an actual-value display in the automatic operating mode.A rotary knob is in each case provided as setpoint-value setting device,said rotary knob being assigned in each case a scale display for thesetpoint-value display means or actual-value display means in aconcentric fashion at least over part of the circumference. Theautomatic function of the automatic air-conditioning system has aswitch-off dependence on the manual activation of the setpoint-valuesetting means in the form of the rotary knobs. If the device is switchedover back to automatic operating mode by activating the automaticswitch-on means, in particular in the form of the push button switch,the automatic system controls the corresponding values in accordancewith its program which is input into it. The display cursors move ontothe new automatic-specific values and display, as actual-value displaydevice, the respective value which is set by the automatic system.

With these types of operator control elements, it is disadvantageousthat, when switching over from the automatic function to the manualsetting function, the value which is set at the operator control elementdoes not correspond to the currently active value so that, if theautomatic function has implementeed a blower level of 3, and the valuewhich has been set is at a blower level of 1, and the operator thenmoves the blower actuating wheel to the right from 1 to 2 in order toincrease the blower power, the blower is however reduced as the blowerpower which has been set from the automatic operating mode was the level3. The problem is also experienced with the operator control elementsfor temperature and air distribution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to further develop an operator controlelement for an automatic air-conditioning system with a manual settingfunction in such a way that the operating convenience of theair-conditioning system is improved.

The object is achieved by virtue of the fact that, when switching overfrom the automatic function into the manual setting function, thesetting function value which is set corresponds to the value of theautomatic function which is selected during the switching over.

With this type of operator control element it is advantageous thatdisplay means are provided which, in the manual operating mode, displaythe value which has been currently set and that the value which is setat the operator control element corresponds to the value which isactually implemented. When the operator control element is set to aboosting direction, the blower is then increased although the valuewhich is set had been assigned to a lower blower level before the devicewas switched over into the automatic function. By switching over fromthe automatic function into the manual setting function, the value ofthe air-conditioning system which is currently actually implementedduring the switching over process is assigned to the value which is setat the control element. If the operator control element is used to setthe blower level, the blower level which is currently actuallyimplemented by the automatic function during the switching over isassigned to the value which is set at the operator control element or tothe next value in the direction of the new target value or to the valuewhich is possible at the closest display value or to a permanentlypreprogrammed value. This blower level is displayed using display meansso that, in the manual setting function, the operator knows which blowerlevel is currently set. By adjusting the operator control element in thebooster direction, the blower is increased, which is displayed with thedisplay means. The behavior is analogous when there is an adjustment inthe reduction direction. The blower level is then reduced, which is alsodisplayed in this case by the display means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an operator control element with an automatic function anda manual setting function.

FIG. 2 shows two operator control elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows an operator control unit 1 for an automaticair-conditioning system with three operator control elements 3, eachoperator control element 3 being equipped with an automatic function 2and a manual setting function 4. The operator control element 3 can beprovided for changing the air quantity, the air distribution or thetemperature. An operator control unit 1 for an automaticair-conditioning system usually has a plurality of operator controlelements 3, one operator control element 3 being provided for thetemperature, one operator control element 3 being provided for the airquantity and one operator control element 3 being provided for airdistribution. By pressing the central knob, the automatic function 2 isactivated and the function which can be set by means of the operatorcontrol element 3 is automatically set as a function of predefinedparameters. The value 6 which is set at the operator control element 3is ignored until the automatic function 2 is deactivated and the manualsetting function 4 is activated again. The value 6 which is set at theoperator control element 3 is assigned, when switching over from theautomatic function 2 into the manual setting function 4, to the valuewhich is actually implemented by the automatic function 2 or to theclosest value in the direction of the new target value or to the valuewhich is possible at the closest display value or to a permanentlypreprogrammed value. If the operator control element 3 is used to setthe blower level, when switching over from the automatic function 2 intothe manual setting function 4, the blower level which is actuallyimplemented by the automatic function 2 is assigned to the value 6 whichis set at the operator control element 3. Display means 7 which displaythe current value in the manual setting function 4 are arranged aroundthe operator control element 3. The display means show, in the manualsetting function, the value which is set and/or assigned by theair-conditioning system. The display means are composed of a light chainwhich is arranged around the operator control element, in particular anLED chain, which are arranged in order to display the position of thevalue which has been set by the air-conditioning system in the manualoperating mode. When switching over occurs, they consequently displaythe value which the automatic function 2 has actually implemented at thetime of the switching over. In the manual setting function 4, this valuethen remains set until an adjustment occurs at the operator controlelement 3.

FIG. 2 shows two operator control elements 3, a value being set at theoperator control element. The operator control element for the manualoperator control function is embodied as an infinite rotary wheel. Inthe left-hand image, the display means shows the value which is actuallyimplemented by the air-conditioning system, during the switching overfrom the automatic function into the manual setting function. The valuewhich is actually implemented is displayed during the switching over.The value which is set is then assigned to this value which is actuallyimplemented. The right-hand image then shows the operator control unitwith the operator control element after the operator control element hasbeen adjusted during a manual setting function of the air-conditioningsystem. The value which is set was moved in the boosting direction. Thedisplay function displays the new values which was set by theair-conditioning system by this operator control intervention. If theoperator control element which is shown is used to set the blower level,a blower level of 3 is displayed in the display means in the left-handpart of the figure. The value which is set is still at the same locationas before the automatic function was switched over. However, it is nowno longer equal to the value of the blower level 2 which was actuallyimplemented then but is now assigned to the value of the blower level 3which is actually implemented by the automatic function although nochange has taken place at the operator control element. This change ishowever visible by virtue of the display means 7 which display, in themanual setting function 4, the value which is actually implemented bythe air-conditioning system so that the operator always knows whichblower level is actually implemented at that moment, and in whichdirection the operator control element 3 has to be moved in order toreduce or increase the value which is actually implemented. When theoperator control element 3 is adjusted in the boosting direction, theblower level is increased from 3 to 4 or 5, depending on the setting.When the operator control element 3 is adjusted in the reductiondirection, the blower level is decreased from 3 to 2 or 1.

The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate theinvention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of thedisclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of theinvention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention shouldbe construed to include everything within the scope of the appendedclaims and equivalents thereof.

1. An operator control unit comprising: at least one operator controlelement for setting the quantity of air or the air temperature or airdistribution of an air-conditioning system with an automatic functionand a manual setting function; wherein, when switching from theautomatic function into the manual setting function, a set value of themanual setting function is assigned to a value of the automatic functionwhich is selected during the switching over, or to a closest value in adirection of a new target value or to a value which is possible at aclosest display value.
 2. The operator control unit of claim 1, whereindisplay means are provided which, during the manual setting function,display the value which is actually implemented and/or assigned by theair-conditioning system.
 3. The operator control unit of claim 1,wherein display means are composed of a light chain, in particular a LEDchain, which is arranged around the operator control element, fordisplaying the position of the value which is set and/or assigned by theair-conditioning system during manual operation.
 4. The operator controlunit of claim 1, wherein the operator control element for the manualsetting function is configured as an infrared rotary wheel.
 5. Anoperator control unit comprising: at least one operator control elementfor setting the quantity of air or the temperature or air distributionof an air-conditioning system with an automatic function and a manualsetting function being provided; wherein, when switching from theautomatic function into the manual setting function, a set value of themanual setting function is assigned to a value of the automatic functionwhich is selected during the switching-over, or to a closest value in adirection of a new target value or to a value which is possible at aclosest display value or to a permanently preprogrammed value.
 6. Anoperator control unit comprising: at least one operator control elementof an air-conditioning system having an automatic function and a manualsetting function; wherein, when switching from said automatic functionto said manual setting function, a set value of said manual settingfunction is assigned to one of a plurality of values.
 7. The operatorcontrol unit of claim 6, wherein one of said at least one operatorcontrol element sets a quantity of air.
 8. The operator control unit ofclaim 6, wherein one of said at least one operator control element setsan air temperature.
 9. The operator control unit of claim 6, wherein oneof said at least one operator control element sets an air distribution.10. The operator control unit of claim 6, wherein one of said at leastone operator control element sets one of a quantity of air, an airtemperature, and an air distribution.
 11. The operator control unit ofclaim 10, wherein said one of a plurality of values is one of a value ofsaid automatic function selected during said switching, a closest valuein a direction of a new target value, and a value which is possible at aclosest display value.
 12. The operator control unit of claim 11,wherein a display shows, during said manual function, a value actuallyimplemented and/or assigned by said air-conditioning system.
 13. Theoperator control unit of claim 12, wherein said display includes a lightchain arranged around said one of at least one operator control elementfor displaying said value actually implemented and/or assigned by saidair-conditioning system.
 14. The operator control unit of claim 13,wherein said light chain is an LED chain.
 15. The operator control unitof claim 14, wherein said one of at least one operator control elementfor said manual setting function is configured as an infrared rotarywheel.
 16. The operator control unit of claim 13, wherein said one of atleast one operator control element for said manual setting function isconfigured as an infrared rotary wheel.